Smart Words

I was reading over Jack Smart’s “Extreme and Restricted Utilitarianism” for 101 tomorrow, and I came across the following wonderful line in the middle of a rousing condemnation of rule utilitarianism.

You might as well say that a person ought to be picked to play for Australia just because all his brothers have been, or that then Australian team should be composed entirely of the Harvey family because this would be better than composing it entirely of any other family.

If only I could write so well. Sadly I fear my students over here won’t get all the references.

By the way, wasn’t Trevor Chappell picked for Australia on just this principle? Maybe some selectors read Smart and missed the intended rhetorical force.

One Reply to “Smart Words”

I don’t know about the Chappells, but recently the New Zealand cricket selectors picked James Marshall after his identical twin brother Hamish made a very impressive start to international cricket, averaging 55 in tests and 37 one-dayers. And perhaps, back in the 80s, Martin Crowe was picked on strength of his brother Jeff’s performance — though the former went on to much greater success, and neither is nearly as well known internationally as their cousin Russell.